Today, the Caribbean island nation of Haiti is struggling to maintain its democratic experiment embarked upon in 1990. Presidential elections held in 1995 represented the first time in the nation's 200 year history that transition of power from one democratically elected government to another was completed successfully (Haiti - Political situation, 1997, 1). However, Haiti's fledgling democracy stands threatened by political infighting and lack of vision which has paralyzed the government. The democratic process in Haiti is also threatened by rampant corruption within the judicial system as well as an alarming surge in crime which many link directly to increased traffic in cocaine on the island (The wonders of Haitian democracy, 1998, 39).
Haiti stands at a crossroads in which its democratic form of government as well as any chances of economic growth will only survive if the political factions of the nation unite in both resolve and vision to clean up the epidemic of corruption and inefficiency in their political system. If the Haitians fail to create a program for future growth and stability, they risk falling back into their centuries old pattern of violence, oppression, human rights violations, and economic stagnation. It is important to note that while future stability in that nation must be supported by foreign aid, any program will fail unless the Haitian people themselves create change and take responsibility for their own destiny.
The modern nation of Haiti was founded in 1804 following a long, bitter, and bloody revolution by slaves and freed blacks lead by Touissant L'Overture. Tragically, for nearly two hundred years the nation has been dominated by repressive dictatorships, military juntas, Coup d'Etats, corruption, and violence. Haiti has long held the unenviable position as the poorest nation in the western hemisphere (Background notes: Haiti, 1997, 6).
Compounding the problems associated with rampant po...